My Brother, The Werewolf
by Ghostwriter
Summary: After killing the demon, John and Dean must scramble to save Sam from a group of ruthless werewolf hunters.
1. Killing The Demon

MY BROTHER, THE WEREWOLF

DISCLAIMER

Sequel to "Cry Wolf". I'm not a big fan of the car crash scene at the end of "Devil's Trap", but it works perfectly for this story. Supernatural and its original characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. Oh, and Spuffyshipper, you did review ch 7 of "Don't Fall Asleep" before, but I took it down and reposted it.

CHAPTER ONE: KILLING THE DEMON

Pain. That was the first thing Sam Winchester was aware of as he awoke. Complete and utter pain.

"Dad? Dean?" he moaned, as his eyes adjusted. Through his haze, he saw the driver of the semi-truck approach them. He growled and his eyes flashed yellow. Sam unbuckled himself. Already, his werewolf powers were kicking in. He could feel his wounds receding and the blood fading. He grabbed the colt from the glove box and stuck it in his jeans. He got out of his brother '67 Impala and went to meet the man.

"Well, Sammy. You recovered faster than I anticipated," the demon noted.

"Yeah. You gotta love bein' a werewolf," Sam responded.

"How did Daddy take the news that one of his sons is a freak?" the demon queried.

"You already know the answer to that," Sam shot back. The man the demon was using smirked.

"That's right. You haven't told him," he remembered. "What's the matter, Sammy? Afraid that he'll throw you out again? You think he---" the man's eyes widened when he felt the impact. As the demon gloated, Sam had brought out the colt and squeezed the trigger.

"Dang. You shot me," the demon rasped. There was a crackle of energy and the thing disappeared. Then, Sam got back into the car and resumed his frantic drive for the hospital. Once they were parked, Sam grabbed some i.d.'s, left the colt in the glove box, and then unstrapped his brother and father. He pulled both men to their feet and used his werewolf strength to hoist both over his shoulders.

"Help me! Help me!" Nurses and desk clerks ran over to the distraught twenty-two-year old man who was carrying two people over his shoulders.

"What happened?" a nurse asked.

"There was an accident. We were sideswiped. My father and brother got the worst of it," Sam said hurriedly.

"Okay, just calm down," the nurse soothed. She called in a doctor and Dean and John were rolled into emergency.

"What about you? Are you okay?" the nurse questioned.

"Yeah. I was in the back. I'm okay," Sam lied. He was given some forms to sign and he sat down in a chair doing so. After he was done, Sam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.


	2. Awake

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. And yes, maybe with the amount of damage, Dean and John sustained from the crash, two days is too short to be unconscious, but please work with me.

TWO DAYS LATER

Beep. Beep. Beep. This was the sound that greeted Dean Winchester.

"Oh, man. Someone turn it down," he moaned.

"Dean?" a taut voice queried.

"Sammy?" Dean asked, trying to figure out where his brother was.

"I'm right here, Dean. Don't try to move," Sam warned, as he came up to the bed and knelt by it.

"Dad? Where's Dad?" Dean questioned.

"In the cot next to you. I didn't want you guys to be alone," Sam replied.

"Thanks Sammy," Dean said. Then, "The demon?"

"I killed it," Sam assured. "Shot it right in the heart," he added.

"That's my boy," Dean approved. Sam fell silent.

"What? What is it?" Dean questioned.

"It...**knew**, Dean. It knew what I was," Sam whispered.

"Sammy," Dean said reproachingly.

"If---if Dad found out---silver bullet in my heart no questions asked," Sam stated.

"You don't know that," Dean reminded him.

"I **do**," Sam insisted. Dean glared, not wanting to waste energy on a growl of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that. I mean, just because **you** understood about my...condition, doesn't mean Dad will," Sam pointed out.

"Come on, Sammy. You really think Dad's gonna just kill you for being a werewolf?" Dean asked. Sam didn't respond, but his eyes spoke volumes. The older man shook his head.

"Dang it, Sammy. You know that's not true," he said in exasperation.

"Isn't it, Dean? Contrary to the demon's belief, I was **never** the favorite! **You** were! It was **you** that Dad favored! You know that and I know that!" Sam shouted.

"Okay, whoa. Left field here," Dean stated. Sam sighed.

"I'm sorry. I'm just crabby. I---haven't exactly been following my preferred schedule," Sam responded, referring to the fact that werewolves had voracious appetites and tended to eat more than an average human.

"How much **are** you eating?" Dean wondered.

"Enough to be expected," Sam answered. Dean fumed.

"Dang it, Sammy! You gotta eat!" he reprimanded.

"I've been too worried to eat," the younger hunter admitted.

"Sammy," Dean said.

"Are you two fighting again?" a groggy voice queried. Sam and Dean turned their heads to see their father.

"Dad," Dean said in surprise. Sam couldn't say anything. His heart was beating like crazy. Had the man heard any of their conversation?


	3. Sneaking Out

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Talon81: Wow, I'm glad you like it. Yeah, that was a great movie. Thanks. I will.

Raven524: Thanks. Thanks. Keep readin'. See ya.

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Cutie-pie-rockchic: Yay! Cool handle! You'll see. Hope this is soon enough.

Mimfoxlove: No, it's not. Dean's comment that Sam's tirade came from left field was another way of saying that it was out of the blue.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Thanks. Yep, but of course. It'll probably **way** different than this. Thanks.

Immortal Spy: Thanks. Cool. Thanks.

Robbie the Phoenix: Glad you like. Thanks. Here's the next chap.

ShadowMayne: New reviewer. Yay. Hope this is soon enough. Thanks. I will.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Nope. It was a resubmit. You'll see. Hope this is soon enough.

Chocca2: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Glad you think so. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize. Oh, and I forgot to mention it, but Sam brought their duffels in out of the cars while Dean and John were out.

"I swear, I decide to take a nap for a couple of hours, and you two start bickering," John Winchester continued. It took Dean and Sam a minute to figure out what had just happened. Their dad had made a joke. The boys chuckled.

"Dad. Thank God you woke up. Sammy was driving me crazy," Dean stated.

"More like the other way around," Sam shot back.

"The demon?" John asked urgently.

"Shot in the heart," Sam replied.

"Who?" John wondered. _Who else was there? It was just me and my boys_, he thought to himself.

"I did. I was...lucky enough to wake up and kill him," Sam lied. Dean looked at the ground. Sammy had just lied to Dad! Was he **that** afraid of Dad finding out? John stared at his sons. What was going on? Dean looked surprised and Sammy looked like he had the first time he had ever gone on a hunt: stone-cold scared. Before he could ask, however, a nurse walked into the room.

"I **thought** I heard voices in here," she commented. "Good to see that you two are awake," she continued.

"How long have we been out?" John wondered.

"Two days," Sam answered.

"Two days?" John repeated. Had it really been that long?

"Yes, Sir," Sam confirmed, not looking at his father. John frowned. There was something wrong. He just knew it.

"Sammy, what is it? What's wrong?" he questioned.

"Nothing, Sir," Sam answered. _Man, I---I can't tell him. He'll shoot me without even blinking_, he thought to himself. Dean just stared at his brother. _Come on, Sammy. Tell him. Just tell him_, the older boy silently urged. The nurse stared at the family, wondering what was going on.

"So, um, we had some questions concerning your injuries," she told them.

"We were in a car accident," Dean stated.

"Well, **he** had a bullet in his leg," the nurse responded, gesturing to John.

"We were held up a couple of hours before the accident," Sam told her.

"Really?" the nurse asked.

"Yeah. One of the guys went to grab me and Dad jumped in front of me. Caught a bullet in his leg," Sam continued.

"Is that what happened?" the nurse questioned the other two.

"Yes, Ma'am," Dean confirmed.

"Yes," John added.

"Okay, then," the nurse accepted. _Held up, huh? That sounds a little too convenient_, she thought to herself. "Well, I'll be back in a couple of hours to check up on you," she told them.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Sam acknowledged. The woman left. Sam went to the door and checked up and down the hall. Then, he rushed back to the beds.

"Okay, we gotta go," he said.

"Right. Too many questions," his older brother agreed, as he was helped out of the bed.

"Dad, can you make it?" the youngest hunter questioned.

"Yeah. Just help me up," was the response. Sam helped John and Dean out of the hospital gowns and into regular clothes. Then, they hurried through the hospital.

"Come on, come on, come on," Sam hissed.

"Dude, what about my car?" Dean asked suddenly.

"It cost me nearly all I had, but I managed to save not only the Impala, but Dad's truck," Sam responded.

"That's my boy," Dean approved again.

"Well, Dean, you owe me **big** time. I **mean** it," Sam insisted.

"We'll figure out who owes who later. Now, we run," John stated. Just then, they heard running footsteps.

"Go! Run, now!" Sam shouted. They quickened their pace.

"Stop them!" they heard a man shout. The Winchesters hurried through the doors and down the road, where Sam had hidden the truck and Impala. He chained the two vehicles together and helped the two into the backseat of the Impala and then got into the front seat. He then started the engine and drove off.


	4. Hunted

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

QHReiner: Thanks. No prob.

Raven524: Thanks. But of course. No it wouldn't. She's like the General Lee.

Blazingfire03: Sorry I confused you. Here's what I meant: Sam chained Dean's Impala to the front of John's truck and drove the Impala out. Okay, realistically that probably wouldn't work, but...it's my story. You'll see. Don't worry. I've taken that into consideration. Hope this update's soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and it's characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize. The place I use is real, but I know nothing about it.

CHICKASHA, OKLAHOMA

The hunter chuckled sinisterly. He and his friends had the creatures on the run. Soon, their lives would be ended. He loved it. He loved the thrill of the hunt. Finding and killing any creatures they could get their hands on. Especially werewolves. They were the foulest of them all. They deserved to die. Just then, there were indistinct voices.

"Sir, I hear them," one of his friends said.

"Good. They won't last long," the hunter approved. They were just kids. They couldn't keep running. Especially if they didn't use their powers. With that, the group continued. The kids panted.

"Why are they chasing us?" a girl asked.

"I---I don't know. But we just gotta keep going," a boy answered. They continued on.

"Rick. Rick, I can't go any further. I just can't," a young girl said, crying.

"Come here, Chrissy," Rick told her. Chrissy did so and Rick took her in his arms as they quickened their pace. Rick didn't know why they were being hunted. His pack had never hurt anyone. They had always taken pains to make sure that other people remained safe.

"Why don't we just wolf out?" another girl suggested. It'd be so much easier and faster.

"Too risky," Rick disagreed. "We leave hair, and it'll be easier to track us," he continued. And that was something he'd **never** allow to happen. The group of hunters laughed menacingly. They could hear the the sound of the beasts now.

"How much further do you think they'll last?" another of the hunters questioned.

"They're growing tired, even as we speak," the head hunter assured his friends. Which was good. It would make their victory that much more triumphant.

"They're pretty smart---for a bunch of animals," another hunter stated.

"Yes. I would've thought that they'd change by now," the head hunter agreed. They continued until they reached a clearing. Then, guns were cocked. For a few minutes, shots rang out and yelps were heard. Rick lunged towards the hunters.

"You think I'm gonna let you kill my pack?" he snarled. The leader laughed.

"Boy, you're already dead," he scoffed. Then, he cocked his gun and fired. Rick clutched his chest.

"There'll...be...others," he gasped, before collapsing to the ground. The hunters walked up to the dead group and the leader kicked one of the kids disdainfully.

"One less group of monstrous **beasts**," he said. He and his friends laughed.


	5. Another Night, Another Hunt

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Mimifoxlove (ch 3, 4): Sorry I missed your review of ch 3. Thanks. Yeah, it kinda was. But, they didn't.

Raven524: I know what you mean. In my fic "Secret Keeper", I had people rootin' for the poltergeist. Read it. You'll understand why. Read on and see. Thanks.

Windyfontaine (ch 3, 4): Sorry I missed your review for ch 3. Yep. You'll see. Maybe, maybe not. I will. Yep. Keep readin' and see. Thanks. Here's the next chap.

Talon81: Thanks. Haven't decided yet. I mean, I wanna keep him in character. Thanks. Here's more.

Blazingfire03: Read on and see. Here's an update. Sorry it's not soon enough.

Robbie the Phoenix: Thanks. You'll see. Yep. Here's the next update. Sorry it took so long.

SammyJaredfan: Thanks. I'm glad. Wait a longer. You'll see.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Well, he feels he has good reason to. Maybe. Hope this update's soon enough.

Kay05: Thanks. Here's more.

Halcyon Impulsion (ch 2, 4): I can't remember if you've reviewed before. If so, great to see you again. If not, welcome aboard. Your stuff's awesome by the way. Thanks. Glad you think so. Yeah. True enough. Really? You do?

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and it's characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize.

Sam pulled the Impala into the _Motel 6_ parking lot and shut off the engine.

"I can't believe there's a _Motel 6_ way out in Oklahoma," he muttered. Then, "Okay, you two. Come on." John and Dean then carefully got out of the car.

"You need help?" Sam queried.

"We're good, Sammy," Dean answered.

"Hey, Sammy," John said.

"Yes, Sir?" Sam responded.

"How is it that Dean and I are beat to heck and you're walkin' pretty?" John questioned.

"Uh...I don't know, Sir. I---guess I just got lucky," Sam stammered.

"Sammy," Dean muttered disapprovingly. John looked at his older son warily. What did Dean know?

"Dean, shut your cakehole," Sam growled. Before his father or brother could answer, Sam went inside, got a room with two beds, and paid with a mastercard.

"Dean, report. What's going on with your brother?" John demanded.

"Dad...don't you do this to me," Dean stated. _I can't betray Sammy's confidence. He'd kill me...and maybe not just figuratively_, he thought to himself. If Sammy wasn't eating like he should, he'd be unpredictable. And Dean wasn't keen on taking unnecessary risks when dealing with a werewolf, even if it was his brother. Sam walked back to his family.

"Here are your room keys. I'll go get our stuff," he told them. John and Dean took the keys and then walked in the direction of the room. Sam, meanwhile, went to the two vehicles and gathered up their belongings. Then, he went back into the motel and to their room.

"You boys hungry?" John queried as Sam dumped their stuff by the bed.

"Yes, Sir," Sam and Dean chorused.

"Dean, why don't you go see if you can find us some food?" John instructed. "But be careful. It's dark out. There's no telling what creatures are around here," he continued.

"Yes, Sir," Dean acknowledged.

"I'm gonna go get my own dinner," Sam stated, heading for the door.

"Sammy," Dean said, grabbing an arm.

"Relax, Dean. I'm not gonna get myself kidnapped again," Sam assured.

"Dude, I thought we agreed to **drop** that particular subject," Dean commented.

"Whatever," Sam said. Then, he walked out, with Dean behind him. However, the brothers soon went their own way. Dean managed to find a local _Wendy_'_s_ and Sam headed for the woods. He wasn't really up for playing full human. He needed **real** sustenance. Sam sniffed the air and his eyes tinged with yellow. Yes. He could smell a creature that would do quite nicely. The hunter could smell the blood on the animal. Apparently, it was terrorizing local pets. He'd be doing this place a favor. But he'd have to be careful. He could also smell the remnants of a group of people in the woods. People who were dangerous. Sam quietly headed into the woods. Back in the hotel, Dean tossed a burger to his father and unwrapped his own meal.

"Where's your brother?" John asked with some concern. They had to stay together, no matter what. Even though the demon was dead, there were still others out there.

"He's eatin' out," Dean answered brusquely.

"What?" John questioned sharply.

"Dad, Sammy needs space right. He's a big boy. He can take care of himself," Dean replied in the same tone.

"Dean Andrew---" John began warningly.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Dean apologized. In the woods, Sam could smell the animal even stronger now. It was a fox. A rather large one. The hunter licked his teeth in anticipation. Foxes could be quite tasty. He growled and gave chase. He finally caught it at a base of a tree.

"**You**'**ve** been a very bad boy," he scolded, pinning it by the throat at eye level. Then, with with animalistic growling, he dug in. When he was done, he threw back his head and howled with victorious delight.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

For those of you who may have missed the episode, Sam's statement of being kidnapped was a reference to "The Benders". Oh, and even if they're not connected to each other, in every story, Sam and Dean will have the same full names I gave them in "Needing Help" which are "Dean Andrew Winchester" and "Samuel Jeffrey Winchester".


	6. Clue And A Plan

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

SamDean4567: Where've I seen you before? Thanks. So do I.

Halcyon Impulsion: No prob. Huh, good point. Oh, well. Here you go.

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Robbie the Phoenix: I'm glad. Yep. Sorry it's been so long. Here's another chap.

ShadowMayne: Thanks. Sorry this isn't soon enough. I will.

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own the plot. And I just discovered that a Trevor Blumas movie I've been waitin' for will be playin' tomorrow at 3 on the Lifetime Channel. So, yay me. For anyone blankin' on the name, he played Teddy Harwood in "Ice Princess". Slight reference to "Cry Wolf".

Sam returned to their hotel room in the wee hours of the morning. He carefully wiped away the traces of blood on his lips and then tumbled into bed. Almost immediately, he felt something shaking him. The young man moaned sleepily. He was shaken again.

"Dude, I am **not** a frosty. Quit shaking me," he mumbled in annoyance.

"Samuel Jeffrey Winchester, you get up now!" his father's annoyed voice commanded. With a surprised exclamation, Sam did as he was told.

"What? What's going on?" he asked.

"I just overheard a call on the police scrambler," the man reported.

"What happened?" Sam asked anxiously. Had he done something while he was a werewolf? He hadn't **thought** he had lost control. But then again, it had been awhile since he had wolfed out. In fact, the last time had been when he and Dean had gone back to Stanford to save his pack. He racked his mind frantically. He had killed the fox, then he had caught the scent of its mate, which was attacking a henhouse at a nearby farm. _Oh. I bet **that**'**s** what happened. Someone must've seen me in wolf form_, Sam realized. That only brought him partial relief. He was glad that he hadn't hurt anybody, but now he had to keep his dad from finding out that the werewolf was **him**. But to his surprise, John's report was of something else.

"There's been a mass murder. Jogger called it in," the man stated.

"Demon?" Dean questioned.

"No. They were shot," John answered. Sam and Dean stared at their father in surprise.

"Shot?" they chorused.

"Uh, no offense, but that doesn't sound like our kind of gig," Sam stated.

"It's probably not. But I just want to make sure," John replied.

"Yes, Sir," Dean and Sam chorused. Dean got dressed and walked to their vehicles and then drove to the woods where the crime had occurred. Sam, Dean, and John each grabbed fake i.d.'s and walked up to the crowd.

"Whoa. Hold it," an officer stated, walking up.

"Easy. We're F.B.I," Dean told him.

"Oh, sorry," the man apologized.

"What happened?" John questioned.

"Apparently a jogger was out early and stumbled upon **this** mess," the officer answered, gesturing towards the scene. Dean's Adam's apple wobbled. It was just a bunch of kids. The oldest was about Sammy's age and the youngest looked to be about ten or eleven.

"Dang it," he seethed.

"Yeah. It's pretty awful," the officer agreed.

"Do you have any idea who could've done this?" Sam queried.

"No clue. It's---it's hard to believe something of this magnitude could occur without us knowing. I mean, this is such a nice town. Everyone knows everyone," the officer replied, as Dean took pictures with a camera phone. Just then, something sharp hit Sam's nostrils. The intensity of the smell nearly knocked the hunter off his feet. It was acidic, metallic. There was only one thing that could hit him this badly.

"Boy, are you okay?" the officer queried. John and Dean turned to the youngest Winchester, who was a pasty white.

"Sammy?" Dean queried.

"Excuse me. I'm---I'm gonna be---" without waiting for a response, Sam stumbled off towards his father's truck.

"He a rookie?" the officer asked.

"New one on me," Dean replied. Then, he followed after his brother, who was vomitting near the truck.

"You know, if any of that gets on the truck, Dad's gonna kill ya," Dean warned. Then, "You okay?" When he was finished, Sam wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What is it? Vision?" Dean asked.

"No," Sam managed to say.

"Then, what?" Dean wondered.

"Silver. Those kids were shot with silver," Sam stated.

"What?" Dean asked sharply.

"I smelled it---sharp, acidic---it was so strong, Dean. Those kids---I could smell them. They were a different pack. I---I don't know why they were killed though," Sam continued.

"Okay, did you---smell another werewolf---someone who survived?" Dean questioned.

"Maybe. I don't know," Sam answered.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Dean asked sharply. If there was a freak goin' around killing werewolves, they'd have to be extra careful so that Sam didn't caught in the middle.

"Look, there were a lot of people around, and they all had different emotions. Not to mention the fact that the smell of fired silver tends make me a little sick," Sam snappished growlishly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ask it like that," Dean apologized, holding up his hands in a placitating manner. The last thing he needed was a ticked off werewolf on his hands.

"Yeah, I know. I'm the one who needs to apologize. I let off a little steam on a couple of punk foxes and I haven't had team to get a proper's night rest," Sam told him.

"It's all right," Dean dismissed. Then, they went back to their father.

"Sammy, you okay?" John questioned.

"Yes, Sir," Sam responded. "I think it was just somethin' I ate last night," he lied.

"Okay then," John accepted. He wasn't entirely convinced, but knew he couldn't push. Then, "Thank you for your time, officers." With that, the three drove back to their hotel room. Once there, Sam sank onto the bed.

"You okay?" Dean asked in concern.

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"You know, you don't look too good, Sammy," John noted.

"I'm all right, Dad. Honest," Sam insisted. And he was---now that he was away from that awful smell.

"Okay, I took some pics with the camera phone," Dean stated. He showed them some of the pics.

"They were all shot in the heart," John noted.

"Dang," Sam whispered. They hadn't even had a chance.

"Pretty twisted," Dean agreed.

"Wait. Look," Sam said, noting one of the pictures.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Defensives wounds. This kid fought back," Sam stated. _He was probably trying to protect his pack_, he thought to himself.

"Dad, what do you suggest?" Dean queried.

"We check the area, see if anybody knows anything," John told them.

"Yes, Sir," the boys chorused again. They went back out. Sam grabbed Dean's arm.

"Dude, what?" the older brother asked in an annoyed whisper.

"If---if it turns out to be hunters---" Sam began.

"I won't let them near you," Dean interrupted reassuringly. Sam nodded and the boys followed their father out of the hotel.


	7. Lead And Fight

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Samdean4567: Probably another review. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

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DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belongs to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize. I don't know what time of the year deer season is, but for this story, it's the wrong season. And I don't know if you're allowed to make campfires at campsites anymore, but for this story, it's allowed. Slight reference to "Dead Man's Blood". Got Sam's eye color from Jared's bio on Supernatural Realms. Not sure if cells really have speed dials or not, but for this story, they do. Resubmitted 'cuz I decided to be Tommmy Oliver and forget the shoutouts the first time around. Sorry.

The Winchesters arrived in town armed to the teeth, cellphones on, and immediately split up to cover more ground. John went to the local police station.

"Oh. Hello, Agent Haggard," an officer greeted.

"Hi. With what happened to my youngest partner, I didn't get the chance to ask you if you had noticed any strangers in town...besides us, that is," John stated.

"Well, a group of people showed up here about a week ago. Said they came here to hunt deer," the officer replied.

"Wrong season for that," John commented.

"I know. But they haven't broken any laws that we're aware of, so our hands are tied," the officer said.

"Hmm," John mused. "Thank you," he said, giving the officers a polite nod. Then, he walked away. _Well, we got a possible lead. That's good news. Now, let's just hope these guys haven't skipped town yet_, John thought to himself. As the Winchester patriarch headed for another part of town, Dean was checking camp sites trying to see if he could figure out where the hunters were hiding. So far, he had searched three and had found zilch. He let out a groan of frustration. He didn't like this. Not one bit. They had potential werewolf hunters out there, and his younger brother was caught in the middle. With another sigh, Dean headed for the last site on the list. Hopefully, they'd be here. That way, they could be taken care of and this town would never be bothered again. He pulled into the lot, flashed his fake badge, and drove on through. Then, he parked and headed for where he thought the hunters might be. It didn't take long to find them. The idiots had lit a campfire. Dean followed the trail, being careful to stay behind the trees so that he wasn't seen himself. He perused his discovery. There was a group of ten men. _Man, that pack didn't even stand a chance_, Dean thought to himself, taking in his surroundings. Then his brows furrowed. Though the group he was watching had ten men, their gear suggested that there were more. _Dang it. Sammy_, he thought, his eyes going wide. Had he left his brother a sitting duck---er, wolf? Well, no matter. He'd even the odds a little. With that, he pulled out his .38 and cocked his gun.

"Hey. What was that?" one of the men questioned. A shot rang out, hitting him dead center. One of the hunters grabbed a rifle, cocked it, and returned fire. The bullet hit a tree. Dean let out a silent scoff. The guy couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Dean fired again, hitting another hunter. All heck broke loose. Meanwhile, Sam had asked around town and had found out who the pack's friends and family had been. With this information, he had interviewed some of the people, but they hadn't been aware that the kids had been werewolves, so he couldn't really ask them much. Suddenly, he caught the lingering scent of a werewolf in a house he was passing.

"Here we go," he murmured. Not only was there a remaining smell of a member of the pack that had been murdered, but there was also another werewolf inside. From the smell, Sam would say a girl. He knocked on the door. It opened to reveal a girl about fourteen. Her eyes flashed and he could feel the irritation and natural distrust rising. Werewolves were extremely terroritorial and didn't like others intruding on their turf.

"What?" she snapped. This guy was another werewolf and she didn't have time to deal with some kind of pack override.

"Easy. My name's Sam. I'm here to look into the murder of your pack," Sam told her. She blinked.

"Come in," she invited, opening the door more.

"Thank you," Sam acknowledged, following her inside.

"I'm Dani," the girl said. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" she offered.

"No, thank you," Sam answered. They sat on the living room couch. "I just want to first say, I'm---I'm really sorry for your loss. I know what it's like to lose a member of your pack," he continued.

"It bites. No pun intended," Dani stated.

"Yeah, it does," Sam agreed. Then, he caught scent of the overwhelming sadness radiating from Dani's person. He frowned. Yeah, she had just lost her entire back, but the only way she could feeling sadness of this magnitude was if...

"You lost your mate, didn't you?" Sam asked.

"H---how did---?" Dani stammered.

"My mate was murdered. About a year ago," Sam told her.

"His name was Rick. He---he didn't mind that I was a couple of years younger than him. He---he looked out for me," Dani confirmed. Sam's Adam's apple shook at the sadness in her voice. He knew how she felt. He still missed Jessica so much. That was part of the reason, he had shied away from falling for another girl. He was still grieving for his her. It was the only thing werewolves and vampires had in common: they mated for life.

"Dani, I know there are hunters here. They probably showed up maybe just about a week ago," Sam stated.

"Yeah, that's about right," Dani confirmed. She was slightly confused as to how how Sam could know that, but just chalked it up to the probability that his powers were keener due to the fact that he was older.

"Do you think you could possibly identify any of them?" Sam asked gently.

"I---I think so. I---don't think I'll---ever---forget their smell," Dani said shakily.

"You sure? I don't want to push you," Sam told her.

"I'll---I'll be okay," Dani assured. Sam nodded. They walked back to the front door. Sam had just opened the entryway when Dani whined in fear.

"They're here," she whimpered. Sam growled and let his eyes shine yellow.

"Stay inside," he ordered. He blinked and his eyes were once again his eyes were blue-green. Then, he stepped outside just in time to see a green pickup stop in front of the driveway. He growled softly and watched as they approached the house.

"You're not welcome here," he told them.

"We're here for the girl," a man stated.

"Well, you're not goin' to get her," Sam retorted.

"Boy, I don't think you know who you're messin' with," another man said condescendingly.

"Funny. I was about to tell you the same thing," Sammy dryly tossed back.

"Look, just give us the girl and no one will get hurt," another man told him.

"Wrong," Sam disagreed. With lightning reflexes of his inner wolf and hunter training, Sam lashed out, slapping a man.

"He scratched me!" the third man yelled, holding a hand to the bloody wound.

"He's one of them!" the first man realized. A full-fledged fight broke out. Sam was doing pretty good for the odds laid out against him. However, he failed to notice one of the men pull out a syringe filled with a clear liquid out of his pants. The man loaded the syringe into his gun that he had just taken out of his back pocket. Then, he fired. Sam yelped as the needle pierced his shoulder. Then, he fell to his knees. He felt so sick, so weak. Everything was spinning.

"Take him. Put him in the truck," he heard one of the men said in a distorted voice.

"What about the girl?" another man questioned in the same voice.

"Leave her. **This** one's the fighter," the first man said sneeringly. Then, Sam felt something hit his ribs. He moaned, but managed to stay in his current position. Without the hunters noticing, Sam pulled out his cellphone and pressed the first name on his phone's speed dial. Then, he repocketed it. Then, he fell into oblivion.


	8. Dani And Dean Tell All

DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize. Slight reference to "Cry Wolf". Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm usin' a lot of slight references in here. Later on, I'll be usin' a scene from "Dead Man's Blood" that I think is appropriate for the fic.

Dean hurriedly walked away from the camp site. He had shot the entire group, injuring most of them, but only killing two. He didn't need anyone asking him any questions. As he got into the Impala, he felt his phone vibrate and ring. He jumped slightly, but took out the phone.

"Huh. It's Sammy," he noted. _He must've found somethin_, he thought to himself. He then pressed the 'talk' button.

"Yeah, go," he said. His brows furrowed in confusion when his brother didn't say anything.

"Sam? Sammy?" he asked. All he heard was voices that he didn't recognize. Concerned, he hung up and then dialed a number.

"Yeah?" he heard a voice asked.

"Dad, I think Sammy's been taken. I got a call from him, but when I picked up, all I heard were these other voices. Now, if they're hunters, I know where their hideout is," he reported.

"Good. Well, your brother was checkin' out houses. Let's drive around and see if we can retrace his steps," John suggested.

"Yes, Sir," Dean responded. He hung up and headed back into town, where he met up with his father, who gave him orders to check one half of the block, while the older man checked out the other half. Dean drove slowly until he noticed one house where a struggle seemed to have occurred. He took out his phone.

"Dad, I think I found the house," he reported.

"I'll be right there," the man promised. Dean hung up and approached the house.

"Hello?" he asked, as he looked inside the open door. There was no answer. "Hey? Is anyone here? I'm looking for my brother!" he called. At this, he heard footsteps and a girl about fourteen came into view.

"You're Sam's brother?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm Dean," he confirmed.

"Dani," she told him. Just then, they heard John's truck.

"What's that?" Dani asked tightly.

"It's our father," Dean assured her. The truck's engine stopped and the man stepped out. Dani could smell the resemblene between these two and Sam, as well as ther concern.

"Why don't you two come on in?" Dani invited.

"Thank you," Dean said. He and his father followed the girl into the house.

"What happened out front?" John wondered.

"Hunters," Dani said softly.

"You a werewolf?" Dean queried.

"Yeah. So?" Dani responded.

"Nothin'. Just glad you're okay," Dean told her.

"Can you tell us what went down?" John asked.

"Sam and I were talking. I told him that Rick was my mate and that he had been killed. I also told him that the hunters had arrived about a week ago," Dani told them. "I said that I could identify them for him and we were going out when they showed up. He tried to protect me, but they just took him," she continued.

"I don't understand Why would they take him?" John wondered.

"Well, he scratched one of them. You know---with his claws," Dani replied.

"Claws?" John repeated.

"Sammy wolfed out?" Dean asked at the same time, momentarily forgetting that his father was beside him and didn't know.

"'Wolfed out'?" John repeated.

"Yeah. You---didn't know?" Dani queried. John said nothing, but the expression on his face spoke volumes.

"Uh-oh," she said quietly.

"Dani, go wait in my car. It's the black Impala," Dean told her. She did as she was told.

"Dean, you want to explain to me what she was talking about?" John asked. Even though he had asked a question, Dean understood that it was an order.

"Dad, Sammy's a werewolf. Apparently, he got attacked his freshman year at Stanford and in order to save his life, he was turned," Dean told his father.

"What? Why didn't you two tell me this?" John demanded.

"He was scared, Dad! He somehow got it into his head that if you know, you'd shoot him right in the heart with a silver bullet, no questions asked," Dean shot back.

"What? That's crazy! He's my son. And I'm assuming he can control the change," John protested.

"Yes, Sir," Dean confirmed, remembering when his brother had brought on the change to protect him from a hunter that had been trying to kill him. Then, "Dad, I'm not the one you need to convince. Sammy needs to be aware that you're okay with him being a werewolf. That you're not gonna just shoot him. And he needs to hear it from you."

"And he will," John promised. "Now, let's go save your brother," he instructed.

"Yes, Sir," Dean agreed. With that, he went to the Impala, got in, and started the engine. Then, he drove off, with his father following close behind.


	9. Saving A Winchester

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

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Jayme: Thanks.

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DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own whatever you don't recognize.

As they drove down the road, Dean's eyes clouded in worry. Was Sammy okay? Were they hurting him? Had they already---Dean shook his head to clear it of the morbid thoughts. He couldn't think like that. He had to stay positive. He and Dad would get there in time. They'd be able to save him. Dani glanced at Dean, then looked away.

"You're worried," she noted.

"No, I'm not," he denied.

"I can smell it," she told him.

"Yeah, well, he's my brother. That's almost as close as a pack bond," was the response.

"You know about the bond?" Dani asked in surprise.

"I saw a side effect," Dean answered. She looked at him in confusion. "Apparently, one of his pack members was shot and Sam started groanin' in pain," he continued.

"Yeah, that happens with the higher ups. Your brother's mate must've been been a pack leader," Dani stated.

"'Must've been'?" Dean repeated suspiciously. What had made Dani use **that** phrase? Had he made a mistake in trusting her?

"Sam told me that his mate had been murdered...about a year ago," Dani clarified.

"Yeah. She was," Dean said.

"Hunters?" Dani questioned.

"Demon. It just---ripped her away from him. Really tore him up," Dean answered. At least now he knew why Sam had taken Jess' death so hard. It wasn't easy gettin' over your mate...and the girl you had planned to propose to.

"Did you get it?" Dani queried.

"Yeah. Few days ago," Dean replied.

"Good," Dani approved. Then, they fell silent as Dean turned on the stereo. Dani rolled her eyes at the music, but didn't say a word. In his truck, John's eyes clouded. Sammy was a werewolf? And he had been taken? His hands tightened around the wheel. If these so-called hunters so much as **touched** his son, he would rip their hearts out. _Oh, Sammy. You didn't have to be afraid to tell me. Did we become **that** enstranged? Did I really push you that far away?_ he thought to himself. Minutes later, both vehicles were at the campsite. Little did any of them know, Sam was tied up and being held in a cage. He moaned and tried to move, but the ropes bit against his arms and neck. _Oh, I feel like I've been tied up by a wendigo_, Sam fuzzily thought to himself. Man, he felt so sick. He couldn't move. One of the hunters walked up to him.

"How you doin', freak? Up to a little lunch?" he sneered. Sam growled.

"I could take you, if you hadn't drugged me," he said. The hunter laughed.

"Right boy," he jeered. "You think a freak like you could take on a skilled hunter like me?" he queried.

"Was taught by the best," Sam stated.

"**That** was your best?" the hunter asked. He laughed.

"When my father and brother find you, there's gonna be nothin' left. They're gonna rip your heart and spit it back," Sam threatened.

"I don't think so. See, nobody cares about your kind. They'll be glad you're dead," the hunter jeered.

"So how come I'm not already?" Sam wondered.

"We saw what you did to those foxes. We're gonna do the same to you," was the answer, as the man slid a finger across his throat.

"My brother has a saying when it comes to creeps like you," Sam told him.

"What's that?" the hunter asked.

"'Demons I get. Humans are crazy'. And I'm startin' to think he's right," Sam snapped. His eyes flashed. Back at the entrance, John and Dean walked up with Dani in between them. Both hunters were armed with guns and knife.

"Just stay between us," Dean murmured. Dani nodded.

"Hold it!" a man shouted. He and one of his friends walked up to meet them.

"Where's my son?" John demanded.

"The freak? Don't worry. He'll be taken care of," the man stated.

"Bring him out," John commanded. He took out a gun and cocked it, pointing it steadily. "**Now**."

"Be right back," the man grinned. He walked back to where they were keeping Sam.

"Someone here to see the freak," he told his friends. They approached the cage and grabbed the rope. Sam moaned when he felt the pressure against his neck.

"Don't worry freak. It'll all be over soon," the man whispered menacingly. Then, he pushed the youth forward. John, Dani, and Dean waited as they heard footsteps.

"Come on, freak. Keep movin'," they heard a man sneer. He came into view, pulling a stumbling Sam. _Man, he looks really sick_, Dean thought. He looked at his father, who seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"Sammy, you okay?" Dean questioned in concern.

"Silver," Sam manged to rasp.

"You punk," Dean snapped.

"Let him go," John commanded.

"Why should I, Pops?" the man sneered.

"'Cuz I can be your worst nightmare," John threatened. Dani nervously stepped closer to Dean, who squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"Dad...don't...lose it," Sam cautioned. Just then, the other hunters surrounded them.

"Dude! Are you flippin' kiddin' me?" Dean demanded. Without waiting for a response, he pulled out a gun and shot at the attacking man. Sam watched as all heck broke loose. His father and brother let out shot after shot, felling each of his kidnappers. In the meelee, Sam lost sight of his father. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind.

"Hold it," a voice barked. Sam struggled, but stopped when he felt something on his temple. He saw Dean freeze.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't do anything crazy," he said.

"Put the gun down, boy. You're liable to hurt somebody," the man sneered.

"Don't...do it...Dean," Sam said through gritted teeth.

"Sammy," Dean desperately stated.

"Third...rule...Dean. Don't you break it," Sammy scolded. Dean panted, but kept Dani behind him. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't let Sammy get hurt, but Sam was right. Their dad's third rule was to never relinquish their weapon to anybody or anything unless there was no other choice. But just like the situation with Luther, Dean had no choice. Dean put out a hand and placed down the gun.

"Dean, no," Sam gasped.

"Good boy," the man sneered. "Too bad you're a sucker, though," he continued.

"Wha---" Dean gasped.

"HEY!" The man turned and John pulled the trigger, hitting square between the eyes.

"**Nobody** puts a gun to my boy," he told the corpse.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

One last chap after this, and we are done. And after I finish my LWD story, I'll be concentrating on updating my various series.


	10. Returning To Normal

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Glad you liked. Yep. Here you go. I will.

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DISCLAIMER

Supernatural and its characters belong to the WB, which will soon be the CW. I only own characters you don't recognize.

After taking care of Sam's kidnappers, Dani and the Winchesters went back to her house.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Sam asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'll be all right. Thanks to you guys," Dani assured. Sam pulled out a piece of paper and pencil and wrote down a number.

"If you ever need to talk, or something happens, call me," he told her, handing her the little slip.

"Thanks," she responded, pocketing the little paper. She walked back into her house and the trio walked back to their cars.

"Sammy, why don't you get in the truck? I think you and I need to have a little talk," John requested.

"Yes, Sir," Sam agreed. He went to do as he was told. Dean grabbed his father's arm.

"Dad, go easy on him. He's been through a lot," he reminded the man.

"I know, son," was the response. They parted ways. John maneuvered the truck so that he was following the Impala.

"Sammy?" the man asked out of the blue.

"Sir?" his son acknowledged.

"How come you never told me you were a werewolf?" John wondered.

"Well, when it first happened, we weren't speaking. And then---Dad, I didn't wanna end up with a silver bullet in my heart!" Sam cried desperately. John sighed.

"Sammy, you remember how we always took an extra long time when it came to werewolves?" he reminded.

"Yes, Sir. I never understood it," the boy admitted. Then, guiltily, "Then again, I never really paid attention."

"I thought as much," his father commented. Then, "The reason for that Sammy is that that there are two different types of werewolves. One that can control the change and acts responsibly and one that's totally bloodthirsty, just changing and creating havoc. **Those** were the werewolves we killed. The ones that didn't care care what happened or what they did when they changed."

"You mean you're not disappointed in me?" Sam asked.

"The only thing I'm disappointed in was that we let ourselves grow so far apart that you couldn't even tell me what had happened to you," John told him.

"What happens now?" Sam wondered.

"Do you want to go back to Stanford?" John queried. Sam blew out a breath.

"Wow," he said in surprise. "Um, well---kind of," he admitted.

"Kind of?" John echoed.

"Dad, I would **love** to go back to school. But you said it yourself: there are others out there. It's bigger than we thought. And that demon---even though he's dead---he said that he wanted me and others like me. And if he's got friends---how can I turn my back on that?" Sam questioned.

"Your brother and I can handle it. We'll divide the strategizing and the research," John answered.

"And if you need extra help? If you need a third man?" Sam persisted.

"We call you," John replied.

"Dang right you do," Sam confirmed. Then, with a confused expression, "Dad...how am I gonna get back in?"

"Oh, I think we can pull some strings," John stated. They laughed. In the Impala, Dean checked his rearview mirror to make sure his father was still following him. He saw his father and brother talking. _Good. It's about time they talked_, he thought to himself. He had been relieved that Dad hadn't torn him a new one when he had found that they had kept the fact that Sammy was a werewolf from him. Relieved...and a little surprised. But then again, Dad had mellowed ever since Sammy had killed the demon. He saw Dad say something and then he and Sammy laughed. Dean's thoughts drifted. Now that the big hunt was over, Sammy was probably making plans to go back to school. And Dad seemed to be okay with that. And if their father okayed it...who was he to stand in Sammy's way of another shot at a normal life? All he wanted was for the kid to be happy. Even if it killed him. Hours later, Dean pulled off at an exit and stopped at a motel. He paid for a room with two beds and they all went in.

"So, what happens next?" Dean asked.

"Well, Sammy's gonna go back to school," John stated.

"Yeah. I kinda figured that," Dean said gruffly.

"Dean," Sam said softly.

"No. No, it's cool. You don't want to hunt. You just want to have boring, **safe**, apple-pie life," Dean spat out. Almost as soon as he said the words, the older brother wanted to take them back. Sammy's face crumpled just a little bit.

"Dad's okay with it. And I'm not gonna give up hunting...not entirely," he said.

"So, what? It's gonna be a weekend and holiday deal?" Dean asked, trying to keep his voice light. To not show how much this was killing him.

"I thought I'd look for an apartment. Maybe my old one. Even if it **is** crispy fried," Sam said, trying for his joke.

"No. No, no, no. Sammy. Get a different place. You don't want to torture yourself," Dean objected.

"I'll get the computer," John stated.

"Uh, Dad...why don't you let **us** handle the computer?" Sam suggested.

"Why?" John asked.

"Because even though you're adapt at texting, you can barely work a toaster and my lap top cost a pretty penny," Sam responded. John raised an eyebrow. Dean stared. _Aw, shoot, Sammy. Why'd you have to say that?_ he wondered. To his surprise, their father merely shrugged.

"Ah, what can I say? When you're right, you're right," he stated. Dean let out a breath he hadn't been aware that he was holding. Sam opened up the lap top and immediately began a search. For a few minutes, John and Dean watched as Sam perused different apartments.

"How 'bout that one?" Dean suggested after awhile. Sam shook his head.

"Too close to the old apartment," he disagreed.

"Right. Sorry," his brother apologized. Sam just dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"How 'bout this one?" John queried, eyeing an apartment.

"Little too expensive, Dad," Sam objected, glancing at the price. They continued to search. Then, they caught site of an apartment that could work.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I think we got somethin' here," Dean stated.

"I think you could be right," Sam agreed.

"If it's such a good price, why hasn't been sold yet?" John pointed out. Sam frowned and checked to see who the owners were. Then, he laughed.

"'Cuz it's bein' leased by Zach and Becky," Sam told them.

"What? Little Becky? The one who's brother we helped out and she ended up discoverin' what we do?" Dean queried. John looked at them in surprise. They had told.

"Shapeshifter," Dean explained, seeing their father's expression.

"Ah," John commented. That made more sense. You couldn't exactly dismiss **that** little phenomenon away.

"That's the one. And **I**'**m** the only one who can call her that," Sam replied.

"Who are Zach and Becky?" John questioned.

"Friends from Stanford. They've always been really picky about who buys stuff they sell," Sam told him.

"Especially since they're probably expectin' little geek boy back," Dean teased.

"Jerk," Sam tossed out.

"Boys," John warned before Dean could respond with usual comment.

"Sorry," Sam and Dean apologized.

"Okay. Sammy, you tell your friends you're interested in buyin' the place, and if you'll give me the number, I'll call Stanford and see if I can get you back in," John instructed. As Sam began an E-mail to his friends, he rattled off Stanford's number. John dialed and got himself transferred to the dean of the school. Dean listened as John spouted off something about Sam taking the year off because of unfortunate circumstances and had needed to figure out how to deal with them. Surprisingly, the dean seemed to buy it. A few minutes later, John hung up the phone.

"Well, it took some sweet talkin', but I got you back in, Sammy," he stated.

"Thank you, Sir," Sam acknowledged. "And Becky just wrote saying that they're lookin' forward to seein' me again," he continued.

"Let's get a good night's rest, and then we'll take off in the morning," John advised.

"Yes, Sir," Sam and Dean agreed. Sam shut off his computer and the boys went to bed. Dean sighed silently. He didn't want Sammy to leave, but knew he couldn't stop him. He couldn't and wouldn't stand in Sammy's way. Dean closed his eyes and led himself into a breathing exercise that always helped him get to sleep. Sam's eyes were closed, but his mind was going a mile a minute. He couldn't believe he was actually going back to school. And that Dad and Dean were cool with it. He couldn't wait to get back into the swing of things. Listening to Dean's rhythmic breathing, Sam was lulled to sleep. Early in the morning, both were woken up.

"Wha---wha---" Sam mumbled.

"Where is it?" Dean added.

"We've got a long drive back to Palo, Alto. Best get a move on," John told them.

"Yes, Sir," Sam and Dean chorused. Since the trio was already packed, it didn't take them long to get ready. John checked them out and they took off. Hours later, when they arrived at campus, Sam's friends, Zach and Becky Warren were there to meet them.

"Sam! Dean!" Becky exclaimed.

"Becky," Sam greeted. The trio shared a hug.

"Sammy, can you get settled okay? Or do you want me and Dean to stay?" John asked.

"I think I'll be okay, Dad," Sam assured. "But don't be a stranger. Visit, keep in touch," he continued.

"Of course. I mean, how else are we gonna make sure you don't kill yourself by studyin' non-stop?" Dean teased, reaching up to ruffle his brother's hair.

"Hey! What am I? Twelve?" Sam protested. John laughed.

"How is Sam gonna be able to tell the difference between a social or business visit?" Zach wondered.

"For business, we can use our old signals," Sam stated.

"Good idea," Dean approved.

"Do you still remember the knock?" John queried.

"Yes, Sir. I've never forgotten it," Sam assured.

"Well, Dean and I'll get goin' and let you get settled," John stated.

"You guys are welcome anytime. Day or night. You'll always have a home with me," Sam told them. Dean tried to swallow the lump that decided to take up residence in his throat. Home. A place he had wanted for a long time. Now Sammy was offering that to him...to **them**. And then, in an uncharacteristic move, he grabbed his brother and pulled him into a hug. For a moment, Sam held the position, reveling in Dean's warmth. Maybe he should go with them. It wasn't like he had anything here. Then, the youngest Winchester shoved his brother away.

"Dude. No chick-flick moments. Your rules," he reminded his brother. Dean gave Sam his customary name.

"Jerk," Sam tossed back good-naturedly.

"Take care, Sammy. Don't forget to---well, that's up to you," John said, cutting himself off before he could tell his youngest to keep up the practice of salting his room.

"Don't worry, Dad. I will," Sam promised. With that, Sam grabbed his stuff and followed his friends to the apartment.

"Sam, we're **so** glad you're back. It'll just be like old times. I mean, you'll have to retake the LSAT, but that should be a cinch since you pretty much aced it last year..." Dean shook his head as the three chattered away. Then he and father got into their vehicles and drove away.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Yes, I'm aware that the ease Sam had finding an apartment in his price range given their financial position and getting back into Stanford is unrealistic, but it's the way it worked out.


End file.
